MOSCOW, Russia – Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday, May 9, 2026, that the war in Ukraine is approaching its conclusion as a three-day ceasefire brokered by the United States went into effect.
Okay News reports that Putin made the declaration while speaking to soldiers at a scaled-down military parade in Moscow, stating Russian forces were fighting an aggressive force supported by NATO.
“I think it (the conflict) is heading to an end but it’s still a serious matter,” Putin said. He indicated a willingness to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country only after the conditions for a potential peace agreement are settled. “This should be the final point, not the negotiations themselves,” Putin said.
The statements coincided with the start of a ceasefire announced on Friday by US President Donald Trump. The agreement called for a halt in fighting and a mutual exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side. “Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network.
Representatives in Moscow and Kyiv exchanged accusations of ceasefire violations on Saturday, though no major strikes were reported. The Kremlin stated there are no plans to extend the truce, and Putin noted that Russia had not received any proposals from Ukraine regarding the prisoner exchange.
The Victory Day parade operated with increased security measures, intermittent internet shutdowns, and an absence of military hardware displays. Leaders from Belarus, Malaysia, Laos, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan attended the event alongside Russian military units and soldiers from North Korea.
